<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>And We're Live by sochill</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23537227">And We're Live</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sochill/pseuds/sochill'>sochill</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek &amp; Paul/Levenson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(oh my god they were roommates), Gamer!Jared, M/M, Pining Jared, and they were ROOMMATES, author clearly only knows the names of like 4 video games, streamer!Jared</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 16:47:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,771</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23537227</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sochill/pseuds/sochill</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jared is a gaming Youtuber who does livestreams to hang out with his subscribers. When they're accidentally introduced to Evan, the livestream chat won't shut up about how they think Jared's in love with him. Which he's not. Totally, definitely not.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan Hansen/Jared Kleinman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>116</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>511</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Guys. Guys!” Jared yelled into his camera. “I’m not shaving my head on a livestream.” He shook his head as his eyes skimmed over the chat. “I’m not doing it. No, I’m not bleaching it either.”</p>
<p>He heard a door open and close meaning his roommate was awake. Probably due to the yelling. He refocused. “When are you playing more animal crossing? Um, I’ll probably film it tomorrow. Play slender? Dude are you watching this from 2013 what the hell? No.” He read more comments as they came in.</p>
<p>
  <em>Pussy</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Omg PLEASE play slenderrrrrr</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Play the spongebob version</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Dye ur hair purple!!!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>HE SHOULD PLAY THE SHREK VERSION!</em>
</p>
<p>Jared was sitting at the kitchen table, his camera, mic, and computer were spread out around him. He usually did streams from his room but since the two bedrooms in his apartment shared one very thin wall and his roommate was sleeping, he decided to be a gentleman and move to the kitchen. It was weird filming out there. He was usually in the comfort of his room. In his desk chair or on his bed. Although, he was quickly realizing the kitchen had better lighting and honestly, a stronger wifi connection.</p>
<p>“When’s the next episode of Minecraft adventures coming out?” He read from the chat. “I don’t fuckin know honestly. I haven’t been motivated to play. Y’all tweet me some games to play later. I need new shit.” He read a few more comments that he chose to ignore.</p>
<p>
  <em>Slender!!!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Wait r u actually gay or is ur handle a joke</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I don’t like the Minecraft ones they’re boring</em>
</p>
<p>“Who’s the hot shirtless guy behind you?” He read. Said shirtless guy jumped and quickly stepped out of frame. Jared laughed. “That would be my roommate Evan. He just got up. Evan come say hi to the stream.”</p>
<p>“No.” Evan moved to the other side of the table with his bowl of cereal.</p>
<p>“So you’re just gonna sit there out of frame and watch me while you eat?”</p>
<p>Evan shrugged. “You’re the one streaming in the kitchen.”</p>
<p>“Touche.” Jared returned his attention to the chat which was now going wild with comments about Evan’s level of hotness and a few comments about what “roommates” meant that made Jared blush.</p>
<p>
  <em>IS EVAN SINGLE????</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Yooooooo hot ass roommate alert</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Damn jared how do u function living with him</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Jared’s a disaster gay we already know he’s probably drooling over evan constantly</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>WHAT’S HE SO HOT FOR THO</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Wait so Jared is actually gay???</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Yeah they’re ‘roommates’ suuuuuure jared</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I’m a lesbian but damn</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I’m straight so jared please tell evn my number is 123….</em>
</p>
<p>“Alright you weirdos! Stop discussing the hotness of my roommate. He didn’t know you could see him so that’s pervy on your part. Leave him alone.”</p>
<p>Evan’s face turned bright red and Jared grinned.</p>
<p>“And to answer the other question, yes I’m actually gay. What straight man would have a youtube channel called gamergay?”</p>
<p>Evan laughed quietly.</p>
<p>“Bring Evan on the stream consensually.” Jared read. He looked up. Evan shook his head rapidly. “Sorry folks. That’s a hard no.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Can you at least give me a heads up next time?” Evan said as soon as Jared ended the stream.</p>
<p>“Dude, I was staring at a camera and talking at full volume. What other clues did you need?”</p>
<p>Evan just glared at him.</p>
<p>“Everyone loves you. They want you to be on the next one. Though they probably want you to be shirtless also. Which I wouldn’t recommend or I might get banned. But I’m sure even if you were fully clothed they’d be happy to see you.”</p>
<p>“Too bad for them.” Evan turned the faucet on and started washing his bowl.</p>
<p>“Come on, I’d get so many views.” Jared leaned against the counter and did a puppy dog face that Evan didn’t see.</p>
<p>“Not happening.” He set the bowl on the counter and moved on to the spoon. “You know I can’t like… talk in front of people.” He was now washing one of Jared’s cups.</p>
<p>“Yeah but it’s not really in front of people. It’s a camera. You can’t see any of them.”</p>
<p>“Still.”</p>
<p>Jared groaned. “Fine. Tank my career.”</p>
<p>“That’s a bit dramatic.”</p>
<p>Jared stuck his tongue out instead of responding.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Heyo!” Jared waved. “What’s up y’all? How you doing? Don’t actually tell me I’m not gonna read all that.” He adjusted his camera.</p><p>
  <em>Good</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bad</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Im good!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>How are YOU?</em>
</p><p>“I’m good. Tired as fuck and definitely failed a midterm today but oh well. What class? Physics.” He gagged. “Invented by Satan.” He scrolled through some more of the incoming comments. “When’s animal crossing part 3? Bruh I uploaded it yesterday where have you been?” He shook his head.</p><p>He stretched his hands up above his head and cracked his neck, prompting a slew of comments about how gross that was.</p><p>
  <em>I’m literally gonna puke don’t do that</em>
</p><p>
  <em>DO NOT!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ewwwwww!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Anyone else hate bone cracking </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It’s so satisfying what are y’all on about</em>
</p><p>
  <em>STOP UR GONNA BREAK SOMETHING</em>
</p><p>He laughed and cracked all of his knuckles into the mic.</p><p>“Where’s your hot roommate?” Jared rolled his eyes. “My hot roommate is in class right now. That’s right he’s hot <em>and</em> a nerd. Swoon.” He rolled his eyes. “And y’all better move on because he’s not going to be on a stream guys.” He squinted at the screen. “No I don’t actually think he’s hot I was just making fun of you guys.” Jared hoped the shitty lighting in his room would mask the blush he felt on his cheeks. “Is he gay? That’s none of your business. Hey, I never said I thought he was <em>ugly</em>. He’s just not my type.” He saw about a dozen comments that contained the word ‘denial’. “What is your type then?” Jared paused, trying to think about every non-Evan boy he’d ever found even slightly attractive. “Short. Dark hair. Um, brown eyes. Loud.” He glanced at the chat.</p><p><em>Proceeds to describe himself,</em> one comment read. Jared snorted.</p><p><em>Homeboy just listed the complete opposite of his roommate as a cover lmaooooo</em>.</p><p>Jared chose to ignore that one. “Anyway. Does anyone have any non-Evan related questions?”</p><p>Apparently, not many.</p><p>
  <em>Please bring evan on</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bribe him bribe him bribe him</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I’ll send u $12 to get evan on</em>
</p><p>“Guys.” Jared sighed. “Evan doesn’t want to be on. He’s not… comfortable with this stuff. Like being live with two thousand people watching him.” He read some more comments. “What about a regular youtube video? Maybe…” Jared frowned. “I don’t know. I can ask but don’t get your hopes up.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Hey.” Jared dropped onto the couch next to Evan. “So I know you said you didn’t want to be on the stream-”</p><p>Evan groaned loudly.</p><p>“Let me finish!” Jared shoved him. “What about just a video? That way it’s not live. We can reshoot stuff. And if you hate it at the end we can delete it.”</p><p>Evan considered that for a second. Then he shook his head. “I don’t want a video of me on the internet for ten thousand people to watch.”</p><p>“First of all, I have twelve thousand subscribers get it right. Second, <em>please</em>. They won’t stop harassing me for Evan content.”</p><p>“Sucks.” Evan turned the volume up on the TV.</p><p>Jared pouted and they watched in silence for a few minutes.</p><p>“Why do they want me to be on so bad?” Evan asked suddenly.</p><p>“Mostly just because they think you’re hot but I’m sure a lot of it is curiosity because I never talk about you.”</p><p>Evan made a face.</p><p>“Sorry does it offend you that I don’t talk about you on my gaming channel?” Jared snorted.</p><p>“No not that.” Evan’s face flushed. “It’s just uh, I don’t know. I don’t think anyone’s ever called me hot before. Especially not strangers on the internet.”</p><p>“First of all don’t say strangers on the internet you sound like my mom.” Jared rolled his eyes. “And second, plenty of people think you’re hot Evan.”</p><p>Evan raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“Don’t give me that look. You’re objectively good looking and you know it.”</p><p>Evan smiled slightly. “So <em>you</em> think-”</p><p>“No.” Jared cut him off. “It has nothing to do with my opinion on the matter. It’s just an annoying fact of life.”</p><p>“Why is it annoying?”</p><p>“Because you don’t even know how to use it.” Jared scoffed. “We could totally get free shakes at Jack in the Box if you’d flirt with that girl that always giggles at you but you <em>don’t</em>.”</p><p>“She could be giggling at <em>you,</em> you know.”</p><p>“Nah I already tried it.”</p><p>Evan laughed. “Did you really?”</p><p>“Yep.” Jared nodded. “She’s only like that when you’re around. If you opened your eyes you’d notice a lot of people are like that around you.” Jared dropped his gaze to his hands.</p><p>“I…” Evan paused. “Thanks I guess.”</p><p>“I’m not complimenting you.” Jared crossed his arms. “I’m just saying words.”</p><p>“Nice words.”</p><p>“Words that are facts that everyone already knows.”</p><p>Evan smiled slightly. “You’re good looking too.” He said quietly. “Even if the Jack in the Box girl doesn’t think so.”</p><p>Jared couldn’t think of a single snarky thing to say back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fellas is it gay to tell ur roommate he's so good looking that it's not a matter of opinion it's just a fact?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Evan!” Jared yelled as Evan walked in the front door. Evan froze. Jared waved to his set up. “I’m streaming. There’s your heads up.”</p><p>Evan relaxed and rolled his eyes, walking behind the camera.</p><p>“I’m just letting you know, in case you missed the camera or the light or the microphone or my laptop.” Jared was promptly hit in the face by a crumpled up piece of paper. “Rude.”</p><p>
  <em>~just roommate things~</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lmaoooooooooo</em>
</p><p>
  <em>please tell him I lovw him</em>
</p><p>“Some girl named Kiara loves you.” Jared said. Evan ignored him. “Evan what will it take for you to do one single video with me so I can get these leeches off my back?”</p><p>Evan crossed his arms, standing just outside of frame. “A billion dollars.”</p><p>“Alright you heard him folks. One billion dollars. His venmo is evan-”</p><p>Evan reached over and shoved him.</p><p>“I’ll clean the bathroom this week.” Jared pleaded.</p><p>“It’s your week to clean it anyway.”</p><p>“But I’ll <em>actually</em> clean it.” Jared emphasized.</p><p>Evan just stared at him.</p><p>“And I’ll do the dishes all week.”</p><p>Evan tilted his head, considering that.</p><p>“And,” Jared huffed out a sigh. “I’ll trade rooms with you.”</p><p>Evan perked up. “Really?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Alright fine. But you have to do all the cleaning stuff first.”</p><p>“What why?”</p><p>“Because,” Evan shot him a look. “Out of the two of us, you’re more likely to back out.”</p><p>“Fair.” Jared turned back to the stream. “You heard it here folks. Evan will do a video with me-”</p><p>“Actually I want it to be a stream.” Evan corrected.</p><p>“I thought you <em>didn’t </em>want it to be live?”</p><p>“Well, I’d rather do it live than have people be able to rewatch it.”</p><p>“Fine.” Jared turned back again. “Next weekend, special stream with the one and only hot and mysterious roommate!” He called as Evan disappeared into his room. “Don’t miss it.”</p><p>
  <em>The flirting is unbelievable</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yesssssssssss</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What was the room thing?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jared rly had to bribe this man I feel bad</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ofc jared doesn’t pull his weight with the chores smh</em>
</p><p>“The room thing,” Jared said. “Is this: when we moved into the apartment, there were two rooms, obviously and one was smaller than the other. And Evan got here first so he technically should’ve gotten the bigger room. But before he could unpack I dragged all his shit into the other room and moved my stuff into the big room. And he’s never forgiven me.”</p><p>
  <em>What the FUCK</em>
</p><p>
  <em>rude as hell </em>
</p><p>
  <em>whack!</em>
</p><p>Jared shrugged. “I have more stuff. And anyway, I knew it would be a good bargaining chip one day.”</p><p> </p><p>Evan came into the hall a few minutes after Jared signed off.</p><p>“Done?” He looked at the camera suspiciously.</p><p>“I’m done.”</p><p>Evan walked in and sat on the couch. “Are you actually gonna switch rooms with me?”</p><p>“Are you actually gonna be on a live with me?”</p><p>Evan nodded.</p><p>“Then yes.” Jared adjusted his mic stand. “A deal’s a deal.”</p><p>Evan hummed. “Doing anything tonight?”</p><p>“Filming. I owe them animal crossing updates and some new game I just bought.”</p><p>“Will you have time to get dinner somewhere in there?” Evan asked. “I wanna get tacos.”</p><p>Jared nodded, understanding. The taco shop wasn’t a terribly far walk but it was far enough to suck when you went alone. Plus, there was a somewhat sketchy liquor store you had to pass and Evan hated walking past it alone no matter how many times Jared pointed out that he was useless in a fight and could offer Evan no protection.</p><p>“Give me like an hour and we’ll go.”</p><p>“Okay.” Evan stood up and started back toward his room. He paused in the doorway. “How long to I have to be on?”</p><p>Jared was about to say until he decided Evan was allowed to leave but he stopped when he saw the nervous lip biting. “As long as you want I guess.” He said with a shrug.</p><p>“What if that’s after sixty seconds?” Evan raised an eyebrow.</p><p>Jared rolled his eyes. “Give me at least fifteen minutes. You can stay longer if you want but at least that.”</p><p>Evan considered this. He nodded. “Okay. Let me know when you’re ready to go.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We got him boys</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“No! I said next weekend.” Jared shook his head at the camera. “He’s not even home right now guys.”</p><p>
  <em>Is evan gay?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>tell him to join when he gets home!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Are u ever gonna finish Stanley parable</em>
</p><p>“Oh look a non-Evan related question. Excellent.” Jared huffed. “Um, no I’m not gonna finish Stanley Parable. There’s so many endings and I’m impatient.”</p><p>After that, the chat slowly let go of the Evan obsession and moved on to other topics. When Evan came home Jared glared at him the second he opened his mouth. Evan gave him a quizzical look.</p><p>Jared pulled out his phone and started typing.</p><p>
  <b>To Evan: I just got the chat to shut up about u. don’t let them know ur here</b>
</p><p>Evan read the text and smiled. He mimed zipping his lips and tip toed to his room.</p><p>“Sorry guys.” Jared turned back to the screen. “My mom texted. She says hi.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Dinner that night was provided by Jared’s superior intelligence, as he put it, and accompanied by Jack in the Box milkshakes that were <em>supposed </em>to be swindled by Evan but were instead, paid for by Evan.</p><p>“So circling back to my um, ‘objective hotness’ as you put it.” Evan said out of the blue.</p><p>Jared tried to only choke on his cereal a little. He cleared his throat and nodded. “What about it?”</p><p>“When did you uh… become aware… of it?” His face was red and he was staring intently into his own bowl.</p><p>“I don’t know.” Jared took a bite, hoping Evan would accept that and not wait for him to continue. No such luck. “I guess in high school. That was when I was figuring out that I was gay.” Evan’s eyebrows shot up. “Not that you were like my gay awakening!” Jared said quickly. “That was Toby Ryan and you know it. I just mean, I was starting to look at boys differently. So I guess that’s when I noticed it.”</p><p>“So you were like… conscious of the fact that you thought I was attractive?”</p><p>“Why are you grilling me about this?”</p><p>“Because- I just- I don’t know!” Evan stirred his cereal. “I always thought you… I just didn’t think you’d ever think that… about me. And then you said it was an objective truth. It kinda threw me off.”</p><p>Jared’s face burned. He kept his eyes glued to his bowl. “Well it is. I mean, you’re almost cliché in your hotness you know.” He grumbled.</p><p>“What does that mean?”</p><p>“Like, you’re tall, you’re blond, <em>some</em> might say you have pretty eyes, you have a good jawline and a… nice smile I don’t know!” Jared mumbled. He suddenly looked up, smirking. “If you didn’t have the personality to throw it all off you’d be a real catch Evan.”</p><p>Evan kicked him under the table.</p><p>“See, you have the looks. I have the charm and entertaining personality.” Jared motioned to himself. “Together we’re almost a fully datable dude.”</p><p>Evan frowned slightly. “People don’t not date you because of how you look.”</p><p>“Yeah I know. It’s cause I’m a dick. I was joking.”</p><p>“No- that isn’t the- that’s not what I meant.” Evan stammered. “I didn’t mean <em>that’s</em> not the reason as in there’s another reason. I meant like… you’re attractive. So don’t blame that.”</p><p>Jared looked at him. “What should I blame then?” It almost felt like they were having a moment.</p><p>“I don’t know.” Evan shrugged. “The fact that you only get feelings for straight guys and when you do happen to like a non-straight guy you never tell them how you feel?”</p><p>“Fair.” Jared shrugged, acknowledging the call out. He stirred his spoon around. “For you it’s definitely the weird rambling you do when you’re nervous.” And just like that, the moment ended. Or was ruined.</p><p>Evan let out an annoyed sighed. “I know.”</p><p>“You should work on that.” Jared said shoving a bite of cereal into his mouth.</p><p>“Don’t lecture me on being weird when you’re having cereal for dinner.”</p><p>“We’re <em>both</em> having cereal for dinner!” Jared pointed his spoon at him.</p><p>“It was your idea though.”</p><p>“So what?” Jared rolled his eyes. “This isn’t that weird. Weird is telling the cashier at the grocery store about lizards for ten minutes because she said she liked my shirt that had a lizard on it.”</p><p>“Shut up!” Evan buried his face in his hands. That incident had been repeatedly brought up for the entire week following it and Jared knew Evan was hoping he forgot about it.</p><p>Jared laughed. “Like what was the point of that? You didn’t even get her number.”</p><p>Evan suddenly looked like he was getting an idea. He stood up and put his bowl in the sink. Then he hummed loudly. “I think I want another bowl.”</p><p>“Okay? Why are you informing me? And why are you getting a new bowl?” Jared frowned.</p><p>“Because,” Evan smiled as he pulled out another spoon. “You’re doing the dishes all week.”</p><p>Jared narrowed his eyes. “You’re going to regret this.”</p><p>“I don’t think I will.” Evan poured himself another bowl of cereal and disappeared into his room.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Evan spends the rest of the week licking all the spoons and putting them in the sink just to inconvenience Jared.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Alright gang. Here he is.” Jared grabbed Evan’s shoulders and pulled him into frame. “The one and only Evan.”</p><p>“Hi.” Evan waved awkwardly.</p><p>The chat exploded with comments and Jared scrambled to scroll back through them.</p><p>“Ummm. Most of them say hi or are trying to hit on you.”</p><p>“Oh.” Evan shifted his feet. “Hi. And thanks I guess?”</p><p>“Oh here.” Jared said. “What’s it like living with Jared?”</p><p>“It’s okay. He’s not the worst roommate.”</p><p>“Gee thanks.”</p><p>“I mean, you’re kinda loud. But,” He turned his attention back to the camera. “He usually gets quieter if I tell him I’m studying or sleeping or whatever. He also cooks a lot which is weird. I mean it’s cool! I just… I didn’t know that about him until this year.”</p><p>“Is he a bad cook?” Jared read. “No! I’m a good cook. Evan tell them I’m good at cooking.”</p><p>“No he is.” Evan nodded. “He doesn’t make like really fancy or complicated stuff but everything he makes is really good.”</p><p>
  <em>My boy is a chef </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I can’t imagine Jared being in the kitchen and NOT setting anything on fire</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jared b cooking instead of studying doe</em>
</p><p>“I still study!” Jared protested. “I’m a good student! Evan is a witness.”</p><p>“Yeah he does his homework at the weirdest times but he does it.” Evan nodded. “He’s a good study partner. He makes up really weird pneumonics for things and they always stick in my brain and then I remember them for tests. It’s cool. I can’t think of stuff like that.”</p><p>Evan looked over and Jared blinked as he realized he’d just been staring at him. He turned back to the chat.</p><p>
  <em>How long have u known each other???</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Is evan a night owl</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The heart eyes are unreal from jared rn</em>
</p><p>“Evan is a night owl yes.” Jared said, pointedly ignoring the most recent comment. “Someone wants to know how long we’ve known each other.”</p><p>“Forever.” Evan said.</p><p>“Our moms went to high school together so we were destined to be friends before we were even born.” Jared shook his head. “I guess they were right.”</p><p>“You hated me for several years.” Evan pointed out.</p><p>“I did not <em>hate</em> you.”</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>“Next question. Does Evan play video games?” Jared glanced at him. “Not really. He plays like phone games but he doesn’t play anything on console or PC.” He tilted his head. “You should play animal crossing. You would love that shit. It’s like the most calm, friendly game ever. You just-”</p><p>“I know what it is.”</p><p>Jared raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“I’ve seen your videos.”</p><p>“You- hold on- you <em>watch</em> my videos?” Jared sputtered, briefly forgetting the chat was there.</p><p>“Yeah?” Evan shrugged. “You’re- they’re funny. I don’t know. Sometimes I get curious.”</p><p>“You watch me film half of them.”</p><p>“Yeah well I don’t watch those ones.”</p><p>Jared swallowed, processing this information.</p><p>
  <em>Jared’s dead lmaooooo</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jared said *gay noises*</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Error: jared.exe is not responding</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lmaooooooo</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Y’all telling me they’re NOT in love? Ok</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tell us if evan is gay!!!!!!</em>
</p><p>“I’m bi.” Evan said suddenly, pulling Jared back to Earth.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“The chat asked if I was gay.”</p><p>Jared glanced at the screen and blushed violently. “Okay any other questions for Evan before he leaves?”</p><p>“You’re kicking me out now?”</p><p>“You didn’t even want to be here!”</p><p>
  <em>They fight like an old married couple jfc</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Just make out already</em>
</p><p>“Well I’m having fun now.” Evan smiled. “When I make fun of you they all think it’s funny.”</p><p>“So you want to stay?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Fine.” Jared shrugged like he didn’t care either way. “Ask away then.” He motioned to the computer and switched sides with Evan so Evan could read the chat better.</p><p>
  <em>Will you ever be in one of jared’s videos?</em>
</p><p>“Um, I don’t know if I’ll ever be in a video. Maybe.”</p><p>Jared raised his eyebrows. Last time they’d talked Evan had said he didn’t want a video of him online ever. And now it was maybe?</p><p>“Maybe he can teach me how to play animal crossing.” Evan smiled. He scrolled through the chat as Jared restrained himself from openly gawking.</p><p>“Wait go up.” Jared pointed. “Why did you let Jared steal the big room?” Jared turned to him. “Yeah Evan, why didn’t you kick my ass huh?”</p><p>Evan rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. It wasn’t a big deal.”</p><p>“Big enough deal to convince you to do this.” Jared pointed out.</p><p>Evan didn’t answer him. “What’s your major? I’m majoring in marine biology and minoring in botany.”</p><p>“Ha.” Jared snorted. “Nerd.”</p><p>“You’re a computer science major, you’re not allowed to call me a nerd.”</p><p>“Interesting. Because I just did.”</p><p>
  <em>If jared smiles any harder he’s gonna pull something</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Why did u used to hate evan??? :(</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I cant believe how gay this shit is</em>
</p><p>“Yeah Jared.” Evan crossed his arms. “Why <em>did</em> you used to hate me?”</p><p>“Oh my god.” Jared groaned. “I didn’t hate you! I never once said I hated you.”</p><p>“You said you only hung out with me because your mom made you.” Evan countered.</p><p>“Okay!” Jared admitted, blushing. This wasn’t a conversation he really wanted to be having in front of two thousand people. “And as you know, that was a lie. But still, I never said I hated you.”</p><p>“You didn’t answer the question.” Evan wasn’t looking at the screen anymore. He was staring directly at Jared. Jared felt hot.</p><p>“Can we not talk about this right now?” He motioned to the camera.</p><p>Evan looked over and then his face went red. “Fuck. Yeah. Sorry. I forgot we were- sorry.”</p><p>“Uh, it’s fine.” Jared tried to recover his chill demeanor. He scrolled through the chat. There were several comments playfully calling him an asshole. Mostly playfully.</p><p>
  <em>Jfc yall?????</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If they don’t kiss I stg</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jared said cut the cameras deadass</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What the FUCK was that???</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jared be like: Yo…. are we about to kiss right now?</em>
</p><p>“What’s your least favorite class you’ve taken in college so far?” Jared read, not trusting himself to look at Evan.</p><p>“Hmmm.” Evan tapped his foot. “I mean, speech, for obvious reasons. But also I took a linguistics class and it was the worst thing I’ve ever had to sit through.”</p><p>“I remember that story.” Jared shook his head. “Sounded gross.” He motioned Evan to take over reading again.</p><p>“Did you guys hang out a lot as kids?” Evan read. “Yeah. We lived like a street away so we hung out like every day and we used to have sleepovers a lot when we were little.”</p><p>“Come on guys. This is your one and only chance to talk to Evan.” Jared waved his hands. “Ask something good.”</p><p>Evan smiled as more comments poured in. “Tell us an embarrassing Jared story. Okay. This one time-”</p><p>“We don’t need to do this.”</p><p>“When we were in seventh grade-”</p><p>“Okay thanks everyone! Evan has to go now!”</p><p>Evan laughed as Jared shoved him out of the room. He slammed the door and returned to the camera.</p><p>“You’re all monsters you know that?”</p><p>
  <em>Ur sooooo in love with him</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Have u guys made out yet?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Noooo :( bring evan back</em>
</p><p>
  <em>TELL THE STORY</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So like u have feelings for him right?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bring him backkkkk!!!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Guys leave him alone their relationship is their own business!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ya but they r so obviously into each other</em>
</p><p>“Guys shut up. Me and Evan are just friends.” Jared sighed. “We’ve been friends for a long time that’s why our relationship is like that okay?” The chat protested. “I have to go. I’ll talk to you guys next weekend probably. Peace.” He ended the stream.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He walked into the kitchen where Evan was leaning against the counter eating grapes out of a bowl. He smiled when Jared walked in.</p><p>“You should’ve let me tell the story.”</p><p>“Absolutely not.”</p><p>“You don’t even know which one it was.”</p><p>“Of course I do.” Jared huffed. “There was only one embarrassing thing that happened that year.” He paused. “Well, actually literally everything we did in seventh grade was embarrassing. But still, you were gonna tell them about the time I tried to break dance at the fucking girl’s choice dance after <em>guilting</em> Sarah Bowman into asking me and ended up breaking my wrist.”</p><p>Evan was doubled over laughing which was as much confirmation as Jared needed that he was right. He shoved Evan.</p><p>“You- you didn’t-” Evan wheezed. “No one even <em>asked</em> you to you just started <em>doing</em> it.” He was nearly choking. “Completely unprompted!”</p><p>Jared tried to glare but he felt himself start to smile. “Shut up.”</p><p>Evan caught his breath and straightened up. “It’s a good story.” His cheeks were red from laughing and Jared did not have feelings about that at all.</p><p>“You just like it because it’s the only one where I look like an idiot and you don’t.”</p><p>Evan shrugged and didn’t deny it. He bit his lip. “Why do all your subscribers want us to… get together… or whatever?”</p><p>Jared took a deep breath that he hoped wasn’t obvious and then sighed in what he hoped was a casual but slightly annoyed sort of way. “Because I’m gay and you’re a guy and they want me to date any guy I know.”</p><p>Evan nodded. “They seemed to get the impression that we were flirting.”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>“We weren’t though.” Jared thought this was a statement until Evan added, “Right?”</p><p>“Of course we weren’t.” Jared grabbed a grape out of the bowl and did <em>not</em> blush. “I think we would know if we were flirting.”</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>“And flirting is like… intentional.” Jared went on. “You can’t accidentally flirt. So if we didn’t know we were flirting. Then we weren’t. So we weren’t.”</p><p>“Exactly.” Evan nodded.</p><p>They ate grapes in silence and Jared hummed the Brooklynn Nine Nine theme song three times in his head before anyone spoke again.</p><p>“So when are we gonna switch rooms?”</p><p>“I don’t know dude.” Jared leaned his elbows on the counter and stared at the chipping paint on the wall. “Tomorrow I guess.”</p><p>“Okay.” Evan took the last grape. “I’m gonna shower and then go to bed. Enjoy your last night in the big room.”</p><p>“I will.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yeah they WEREN'T flirting.... obviously,,, who would even think that,,,,,</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Okay. I’m gonna lift it and then you just push as hard as you can.” Jared instructed.</p><p>“That’s not gonna work.”</p><p>“It’ll work!”</p><p>“It was fine when we were just-”</p><p>“Shut up and push Evan!” Jared lifted his end of the dresser and pulled. It slid a few inches before they both lost steam and let go.</p><p>“This is stupid.” Evan sighed.</p><p>“No it’s not. I took physics. I can get this god damn dresser a few feet.”</p><p>“No not the- I mean switching rooms. It’s dumb. We’re both already used to our rooms. I don’t care if my room is smaller.”</p><p>“Evan.” Jared walked around the dresser to look at him. “We did not spend all morning dragging my bed in there.” He pointed to Evan’s room. “And your desk in there.” He pointed to his own room. “For you to change your mind.”</p><p>“What does it matter?” Evan leaned against the wall. He was sweaty and panting and Jared was trying very hard not to think about either of those things lest his mind start to wander. “We’re halfway through. We still have one bed and one desk to move. Who cares if it’s into new rooms or the old rooms.”</p><p>“I care!” Jared yelled. “Because if we move it all back then we wasted this whole day and did all this work for nothing. If we just finish than at least we’ll have <em>done</em> something.”</p><p>“Well I don’t want to switch anymore.”</p><p>“Evan.”</p><p>Evan shook his head and crossed his arms. “I’m not switching.”</p><p>“Well I’m not undoing this shit.” Jared huffed.</p><p>“Fine then I guess we just have both the beds in one room and all the other furniture in the other room now.” Evan shrugged.</p><p>“Fine.” Jared snapped. He looked at the dresser. “We still have to fucking put this somewhere.”</p><p>Evan made a face. “Let’s just leave it in the hallway.”</p><p>“You joke but I’m seriously okay with that.”</p><p>Evan rolled his eyes and walked back over to his side. “Maybe if you come over here and we both just shove it as hard as we can it’ll move faster.”</p><p>“Probably not but whatever.” Jared moved to stand beside him.</p><p>Maybe Evan’s plan would’ve worked if Jared had been able to focus all of his attention on the task at hand. As it happened though, Jared was shoulder to shoulder with Evan in a narrow hallway and so that concept was taking up most of his brain space.</p><p>They somehow got the dresser inside the room and against a wall. Then they both collapsed onto the floor.</p><p>“We should get lunch.” Evan said, staring up at the ceiling.</p><p>“Uh huh.” Jared nodded. “But that would require walking somewhere.”</p><p>“We could postmates something.”</p><p>“Evan.” Jared said, rolling over to reach his phone. “You’re a genius.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Do you still talk in your sleep?” Jared asked as he changed for bed later that night.</p><p>“What?” Evan frowned at him. “When did I ever talk in my sleep?”</p><p>“When we were little.” Jared shrugged. “You never said anything coherent. You’d just mumble random words.” And then there was that one time that Evan had said Jared’s name in a soft sort of sigh and Jared had felt like he was going to dissolve into a puddle of mushy feelings.</p><p>“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”</p><p>“I don’t know. I thought you knew.”</p><p>“Well… my roommates the past two years never said anything so I don’t think so.”</p><p>“Good. It was super creepy.”</p><p>Evan rolled his eyes and stood up to turn off the lights. “Well if I keep you up you could always move back into your room.”</p><p>“Hey hey hey.” Jared said as they were thrown into darkness. “There is no ‘your room’ and ‘my room’ anymore Evan. These are <em>our</em> rooms now.”</p><p>“Whatever.” There was a rustling as Evan got into bed. “Be quiet or I’ll kick you out of <em>our</em> room and you can go sleep on the couch.”</p><p>“Empty threats.” Jared scoffed. “You don’t have the heart.”</p><p>“We’ll see about that.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>and they were ROOMMATES X2</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jared Kleinman was the kind of person who didn’t really wake up until about fifteen minutes after he was actually out of bed. This meant he went through his routine of getting up, brushing his teeth, and getting dressed in a half awake sort of stupor. Which was exactly why when he woke up the day after moving his bed into Evan’s room, he walked out the door and turned left. In his old room, he turned left to reach the bathroom. From Evan’s room, left was a solid wall that Jared walked straight into.</p><p>“Son of a bitch!” He yelled, grabbing his face.</p><p>There was a shuffling and then Evan stuck his head into the hall, squinting. “Everything okay?”</p><p>Jared nodded. “I’m fine I just ran into a fuckin wall.”</p><p>Evan blinked and suddenly looked more awake. “You’re bleeding.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Your mouth is bleeding.” Evan grabbed his arm and pulled him into the bathroom.</p><p>Jared looked at himself in the mirror. “Well shit.” He spit in the sink and Evan wrinkled his nose. He grabbed a tissue and wiped the blood off his lip. “At least all my teeth are still here. You think there’s blood on the wall?”</p><p>Evan leaned into the hall. “No.” He came back in.</p><p>Jared was pulling at his lip to find the source of the blood. Evan stood in the doorway watching him.</p><p>“Don’t stare at me.”</p><p>“I’m not.”</p><p>“You are.” Jared looked at Evan’s reflection and met his eyes.</p><p>“Does it hurt?”</p><p>“Kinda.” Jared stuck his tongue against the cut. “Not as bad as it did a second ago.”</p><p>Evan continued to watch him.</p><p>“I think it stopped bleeding.” Jared concluded and spit into the sink again. This time it was only slightly pink.</p><p>“Okay. I’m… going back to bed.” Evan said after a minute.</p><p>“Thanks for the info.” Jared said as he turned the sink on. Evan watched him for a few more seconds before disappearing into the hall.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey guys.” Jared waved as the stream finally connected. “First of all, I know my lip is swollen. Don’t talk about it okay.”</p><p>
  <em>Did u get in a fight</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I bet it was something stupid</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He definitely punched himself in the face</em>
</p><p>“I didn’t get in a fight.” Jared rolled his eyes. “Actually, I take that back that sounds way cooler.”</p><p>
  <em>What happened</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tell us what u did!!!!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Too late you already said it wasn’t cool</em>
</p><p>“Sheesh fine.” Jared sighed. “I walked out of Evan’s room this morning and ran into a wall because I was half asleep and usually when I come out of <em>my</em> room the bathroom is on the left.”</p><p>The chat exploded.</p><p>
  <em>WHY WERE U COMING OUT OF EVAN’S ROOM</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Half asleep coming out of evan’s room I’m connecting some dots</em>
</p><p>
  <em>U SLEPT IN EVAN’S ROOM???</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jared!!!!!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jared got some ;)</em>
</p><p>“No!” Jared’s face turned bright red. “That’s <em>not</em> the reason.”</p><p>
  <em>Guys they switched rooms remember?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jared’s gay panic is so obvious lmao</em>
</p><p>“Yeah we switched rooms, remember?” He nodded quickly. “Why are you still streaming in the same room then? Uh, okay so we started switching rooms and then halfway through we decided we didn’t want to move shit anymore. So now we have both of our beds in one room and our desks in the other.”</p><p>
  <em>That’s gay</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So y’all literally rearranged your furniture just so you could sleep in the same room? Sus</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bitch what</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That’s literally so stupid</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Liar</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What a cover story </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Improv king </em>
</p><p>“It’s not- listen!” Jared yelled. “Just because I’m gay and Evan is attractive doesn’t mean I want to fuck him!” Jared looked up. “Oh hey Evan.”</p><p>Evan stared at him with raised eyebrows. He was holding his backpack and blushing profusely. “My uh… my desk is in here.” He pointed to it as if he needed proof.</p><p>“Yeah.” Jared felt like he was so embarrassed that it had circled back around to tranquility. “You have homework?”</p><p>Evan nodded.</p><p>“Okay. I can end this.”</p><p>“You just started it didn’t you?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Jared shrugged. “It’s fine though. Clearly it’s not going that well for me.”</p><p>“No it’s fine.” Evan shook his head as he dropped his backpack and sat down. “I work better with background noise anyway.”</p><p>“Okay. If you’re sure.”</p><p>Evan nodded and started pulling out notebooks and starting up his laptop.</p><p>“Um, anyway… where were we.”</p><p>
  <em>You were being gay</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You were pining over evan</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You were staring at evan with heart eyes</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You were lying about not wanting to fuck evan</em>
</p><p>Jared sighed loudly. “Right so slender. You bullied me so hard that I got it and played it for the first time since I was fifteen and guess what? It fucking sucks.” He ignored any chat comments about Evan. “Yes I did record it. It should be up uh… next Tuesday maybe? I don’t know. Depends when I get around to editing it.” He leaned back in his chair, balancing on the back two legs. “Where do you go to school? Why so you can show up and murder me? Nice try.”</p><p>Evan snorted from his desk. Jared glanced at him. He was still bent over his notebook but he was smiling as he wrote.</p><p>“Show us a hidden talent?” He read from the chat. “I don’t really have any hidden talents.” He tapped his foot. “I’m decent at drawing but that’s not like a hidden talent really. And I’m not that good.”</p><p>“You can play guitar.” Evan piped up.</p><p>Jared frowned. “I haven’t played in years. I probably don’t remember anything.”</p><p>Evan shrugged. “You were pretty good when you did play. And you never played for anyone so… hidden talent.”</p><p>Jared didn’t know Evan even remembered that. He’d been really into learning guitar for about six months before leaving the instrument to collect dust in his closet. He’d played for Evan a handful of times. Although, it wasn’t really <em>for</em> Evan. It was more just that Evan was there and Jared had started plucking like he wasn’t even thinking about it (even though he was thinking very hard about it). And then he’d play a song and Evan would get really quiet and listen and afterward neither of them would say anything about it. And of course it was for Evan. To show off. To see if he was impressed. Whatever is was, it was for Evan. But Evan didn’t need to know that.</p><p>Jared forced himself to stop looking at Evan and return his eyes to the chat.</p><p>
  <em>“you never played for anyone” yet evan knows he’s good. SUS</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wait that’s so cool </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jared ur gay is showing</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Play us something</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Can u play hey there Delilah</em>
</p><p>
  <em>ANYWAY HERE’S WONDERWALL</em>
</p><p>“Um,” Jared shook his head to clear it. “No I can’t play Hey There Delilah. And of course I learned Wonderwall, but I don’t have my guitar here. It’s still at home. Why didn’t you bring it to school? Because I knew I’d never play it.”</p><p>“You should.” Evan said again because he couldn’t let Jared have a single second of peace.</p><p>“Should what?”</p><p>“Bring it to school. Next time we go home you should get it.”</p><p>
  <em>WE</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Next time “we” go home</em>
</p><p>
  <em>YEAH JARED PLAY GUITAR FOR HIM</em>
</p><p>“I don’t remember how to play.”</p><p>“Re-learn. You were good. People would love it.” Evan shrugged. “It might help with your… abrasive personality.”</p><p>“I’m- did you just use a compliment as a set up to insult me?” Jared asked. “I don’t know if I should be offended or proud.”</p><p>Evan grinned and Jared felt dizzy.</p><p>He turned back to see the chat comments whizzing by. “Oh shit. Evan you’re making me miss stuff.”</p><p>“Sorry. I’ll be quiet.” Evan turned back around.</p><p>“Okay let’s see here….” He scrolled back. “No I didn’t write songs ew.” He wrinkled his nose. “Did you use it to get girls? Get them to do what?” Jared asked, feigning confusion. “I <em>did</em> use it to get guys.”</p><p>Evan laughed outright at that.</p><p>“Sorry do you have something to say over there?” Jared raised his eyebrows.</p><p>Evan shook his head, still smiling.</p><p>“I can’t believe I was worried that <em>I’d</em> distract <em>you</em>.” Jared rolled his eyes. He read some more comments. “It was an acoustic guitar. I wanted an electric but my dad was like hell no.”</p><p>“Your dad has never said the words ‘hell no’ in his life.”</p><p>“Okay do you just want to be in this?” Jared crossed his arms. “I mean you might as well if you’re going to keep making comments.” It was a sarcastic question both because Jared was only pretending to be annoyed and because he knew Evan would say no. Which was why it was surprising when he shrugged, stood up, and dragged his chair over next to Jared’s.</p><p>“Hi Jared’s followers.”</p><p>“They’re called subscribers Evan get it right.” Jared corrected, still slightly in shock that Evan had willingly stepped in front of the camera.</p><p>The comments were instantly flooded with messages for him. Mostly just saying hi and that they loved him.</p><p>“When will Evan be in a video?” Evan read. “I don’t know. Up to Jared.”</p><p>“I’m filming tomorrow. But it’s PT you won’t want to play that.” Jared said. “Horror game.” He explained when Evan just stared at him.</p><p>“Ah.” Evan nodded. “Something less jump scary then.”</p><p>
  <em>Play animal crossing!!!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Teach him how to play I am bread</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A friendly game of spin the bottle perhaps </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Make him play slender since u went through the trouble of downloading it</em>
</p><p>“Make him play I Am Bread.” Jared chuckled. “That would be hilarious.”</p><p>“What’s that?”</p><p>“Rage game.” Jared smiled mischievously. “Actually though, I don’t think he has it in him to get angry at anything.”</p><p>“I get angry at you all the time.”</p><p>“Not like real anger though. It’s just like… sort of annoyance that you’re pretending is anger until I say something dumb and make you laugh.”</p><p>“No it’s real anger.” Evan said. “You just actually made me laugh when I’m mad sometimes.”</p><p>Jared struggled to process that. “Well I’m hilarious.” He said vacantly.</p><p>“I said <em>sometimes</em>.”</p><p>Jared glued his eyes to the chat but couldn’t read anything.</p><p>“What’s prop hunt?” Evan said, tilting his head.</p><p>“Oh shit.” Jared’s brain instantly went running with the new topic. “Prop hunt would actually be so fun with him. Especially because he has absolutely no hand eye coordination which might work in his favor. Spastic movements are sometimes life savers in that game.”</p><p>“Yay for me.”</p><p>“Play a drinking game with Evan.” Jared read. “As fun as that would be, Evan, unlike myself, is actually not of legal drinking age quite yet so I don’t think recording him getting drunk would be the best idea. Maybe next semester.” He nudged Evan who rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Just make Evan take shots of water.” Evan laughed. “Yeah let’s just record you getting drunk and me staying hydrated.”</p><p>“No way. If I’m embarrassing myself so are you.” Jared shook his head. “Jared are you ever gonna tell us why you used to hate Ev- jesus christ I didn’t hate him.”</p><p>Evan looked at him apologetically.</p><p>Jared rolled his eyes. “No. I’m not going to talk about it so get over it.”</p><p>
  <em>He deserves to know!!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tell us</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Aww it sounds funny.</em>
</p><p>“Yeah <em>Evan</em> does deserve to know.” Jared snapped. “Not all of you.”</p><p>“So will you tell me then?” Evan asked. Jared looked at him. “After this I mean.”</p><p>“Sure whatever.” Jared waved him off, feeling his heart pound.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So.” Evan idly flipped a few pages of his notebook. “Are you gonna tell me why you… you know… in high school.”</p><p>There were two approaches Jared could take in this situation (aside from jumping out the window and never speaking to Evan again which felt a tiny bit drastic). First option (and the best one in Jared’s opinion) would be to lie. To say he didn’t know (not true). He was going through some personal shit maybe and took it out on Evan (definitely not true). He could say he was just a dick and now he’d grown up and realized that his behavior was not okay (not entirely untrue). Or option two, he could tell Evan the truth and hope that they could laugh it off. Tell him he had a crush on him way back in high school (true) but he wasn’t entirely comfortable admitting he was gay yet (sort of true) and he didn’t think he’d ever be good enough for Evan anyway (unbelievably true) so he resorted to pushing Evan away instead. Ha. There was no way in hell he could look Evan in the eye and tell him that. Option one it was.</p><p>“I had a crush on you.” Wait, fuck. Wrong one. Jared froze. Of course the one time he actually thought about what he was going to say before he said it, his mouth just blurted out the wrong one anyway.</p><p>“What?” Evan had a look on his face like he was sure he hadn’t heard right.</p><p>There was only one way Jared could play this in order to keep some semblance of their relationship intact. Casual nonchalance. His specialty.</p><p>“Yeah.” Jared waved his hand. “Way back in high school I had a dumb little crush on you. Probably because you were the only boy I spent a significant amount of time around. And you know, the previously mentioned physical attraction.” He shrugged and prayed his blush wasn’t too visible.</p><p>“That um…” Evan blinked. “That doesn’t explain why you were…”</p><p>“Yeah so um,” Jared’s brain was no help to him as it was busy telling him to breathe and not talk too fast but don’t pause like that either. He cleared his throat. “So I was still sort of nervous about being out. Like you knew and my parents knew but I didn’t feel comfortable you know… broadcasting it to the whole school. So I was worried people would find out that I liked you and therefore that I was gay. So I figured if I was a dick to you no one would think that.” There. That was… mostly the whole truth. He’d left out the part about the crippling fear of rejection and the fact that the ‘dumb little crush’ was much more like ‘dumb ginormous crush bordering on possibly maybe being in love’. But Evan didn’t need to know any of that.</p><p>“Oh.” Evan was quiet for a minute. “So it wasn’t really… about me?”</p><p>“No.” Jared shook his head. “I’m really sorry I made it seem like I just didn’t like you. And I’m sorry I was a dick. But no, it was never about you.”</p><p>Evan nodded. “Well, thanks for telling me.”</p><p>“Yeah… uh Evan?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Are you okay?” Jared asked, tilting his head. “You look… weird.”</p><p>“I’m fine.” Evan looked like he wanted to say something else. “I just… no I’m fine.”</p><p>“No what is it?”</p><p>“It’s nothing.”</p><p>“Come on. Tell me.” Jared pressed.</p><p>“I was just wondering when you stopped.” Evan said shrugging like it wasn’t a big deal even though his face was bright red. “Liking me, I mean.”</p><p>“Oh. Um. Well,” Never. “Summer after senior year. When we stopped talking. It sort of went away.” True. “And then I felt bad about everything which is why I was excited to see you last year. Because you know… I wanted us to be friends again.” Not entirely true. Once again Jared left out a crucial bit of information. This information being that the crush had come back with a vengeance the second they started talking again.</p><p>“Oh. Okay. Cool.” Evan nodded. “So like… you don’t still like me.”</p><p>“What? No!”</p><p>“Okay.” Evan didn’t quite disguise his hurt look fast enough.</p><p>“I didn’t mean no like ‘ew no’. I just meant no like… no.”</p><p>“No I get it. It’s cool. I mean I’m glad you don’t.”</p><p>“Evan come on I can tell you’re upset. I didn’t mean it like that okay?” Jared stepped toward him, unsure how to comfort him in any way that wouldn’t contradict the lies he’d just told. “You’re great okay? Don’t think that I don’t like you because you aren’t totally awesome because you are. I mean like if I could <em>make</em> myself-” He stopped at the look on Evan’s face. “Not that I’d have to- I don’t mean that- you are-”</p><p>“It’s fine Jared.” Evan said softly. “I get it. You don’t have to do this.”</p><p>“No listen!” Jared scrambled for an explanation. “I only said it like that because I wanted to make it clear because I know <em>you</em> don’t like <em>me</em>. So I didn’t want it to be weird.”</p><p>“Seriously it’s fine.” Evan stepped back. “You’re allowed to feel how you feel.”</p><p>“But that’s <em>not </em>how I feel!”</p><p>“What are you talking-”</p><p>“I still like you!” Jared yelled. So now he had successfully manage to say everything he’d been planning on keeping a secret, out loud. He closed his eyes. “I’m sorry. I know you don’t-” He stopped himself and looked at Evan. His eyebrows were raised and his mouth was slightly open. Jared swallowed. “I’m gonna go. I’ll be back later.”</p><p>“Wait you don’t have to-”</p><p>Jared slammed the front door before he could finish.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Jared's missing that wire that connects ur brain to ur mouth</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jared didn’t exactly have anywhere to go. It was also too cold to just be walking around without a jacket. So, he sat in his car and took deep breaths and told himself it wasn’t really that bad and that they’d move on from this. He felt like he’d been there only a few minutes but when he opened his eyes it was dark and his phone told him it was 10 pm. He got out of the car and started back toward his dorm. He braced himself as he reached the door. He was half expecting to see all of his stuff back in his own room and all of Evan’s gone from it. He opened the door. The lights were off everywhere except Evan’s bedroom. Jared peeked into his room and saw there were still two desks and no beds. Which made sense because Jared was well aware that Evan was not capable of moving any of that stuff on his own.</p><p>He took a breath before opening the door to Evan’s room. He walked in like nothing at all had happened.</p><p>“Hey.” He nodded as he walked to his dresser.</p><p>“Hey?” Evan said. Jared looked at him and was surprised to see he looked… angry.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“That’s all you’re going to say?” Evan stood up.</p><p>“Um.” Jared was at a loss. He’d prepared himself for a lot of responses and this wasn’t one of them. “I don’t know what else you want me to say.”</p><p>“Maybe explain?” Evan crossed his arms.</p><p>“Explain what?”</p><p>“Everything!”</p><p>“There’s nothing to explain. I feel like I was pretty clear.”</p><p>“No you weren’t!” Evan yelled. “God you’re so confusing all the time Jared! I mean sometimes I think you’re flirting with me and then sometimes you act like you could never be into me. And then you say it’s an objective truth that I’m hot and then you tell me to flirt with other people. And <em>then</em> you dump all that shit on me and then just disappear for three hours. I can’t keep up with you. You’re infuriating!” He walked out of the room and Jared flinched as the door shut behind him.</p><p>Jared stood there in the bedroom feeling thoroughly confused for a solid minute before following Evan out and sitting beside him on the couch.</p><p>“Um,” Jared started. Evan had his chin in his hands and he was glaring at the blank TV screen. “I’m sorry if I’ve been confusing. Or difficult to live with. Or… misleading.”</p><p>Evan leaned back and crossed his arms.</p><p>“I do like you. I did back then and I do now. And I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want things to be weird between us. But then you looked so hurt when I said I didn’t like you. And I didn’t want you to think that it was because of <em>you</em> because it’s obviously not. So I just… I never meant to tell you. I’m sorry I’ve been all over the place lately. If I could just take all that back so we could go back to normal I would.”</p><p>“Why are you so convinced that I don’t like you too?” Evan said quietly.</p><p>Jared looked at him. “Uh… I don’t know. I guess I just assumed you wouldn’t ever. You never seemed interested.”</p><p>“I ask you to get dinner with me like every night.”</p><p>“We’re roommates.” Jared shrugged.</p><p>“I spend half my time in your room for no reason. I watch your youtube videos even though I don’t play video games. I went on a live stream with you <em>twice</em>.”</p><p>“Okay. Okay.” Jared stopped him. “Maybe I just wasn’t willing to believe any of those were… signs.”</p><p>Evan shook his head.</p><p>“So… you do like me then?”</p><p>Evan gave him a look that said ‘duh’.</p><p>“So we like each other.”</p><p>“Apparently.” Evan sighed.</p><p>Jared started laughing suddenly.</p><p>“What?” Evan looked nervous.</p><p>“You just,” He giggled. “You sound so <em>annoyed</em> by the fact that you like me.”</p><p>“I’m not!” Evan flushed. “I wasn’t trying to-”</p><p>“It’s funny.” Jared assured him. “I have a question for you.”</p><p>Evan smiled. “Yes?”</p><p>“Evan…” Jared looked at him. “Can we push our beds together and make a giant bed?”</p><p>Evan’s smile fell. “Now I’m annoyed that I like you.”</p><p>Jared cackled wildly and wrapped his arms around Evan, trapping him in a sideways hug. Evan huffed but didn’t try very hard to shove him off.</p><p>“Evan?” Jared rested his chin on Evan’s shoulder.</p><p>“What?” Evan said, the annoyance still present in his voice.</p><p>“Will you forgive that I’m hilarious and be my boyfriend anyway?”</p><p>Evan was quiet for a minute but he couldn’t hide his smile for very long. “I suppose.”</p><p>Jared grinned. He released Evan just long enough for Evan to turn to face him and then he leaned forward and kissed him. And this time Evan didn’t playfully shove him away. In fact, he pulled him closer.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Evan has had enough of Jared's shit</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Alright I’ll be back soon.” Evan kissed Jared quickly and grabbed his keys off the table. “We can get dinner when I get home.”</p><p>“Okay.” Jared smiled as Evan rushed out the front door.</p><p>Jared hadn’t planned to stream that day but after a while he got bored waiting for Evan and he didn’t have anything else to do. So he tweeted out the twitch link and got online.</p><p>“Hey girls and gays what’s up.” Jared waved. He was streaming from his laptop so the quality wasn’t the best but he didn’t really care. “Yes I know the sound is shit just deal with it.”</p><p>
  <em>I can barely hear smh</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Why there like one pixel</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Where’s evan!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I can’t even tell who this is man wheres ur good camera</em>
</p><p>“Shut up I know it sucks!” Jared rolled his eyes. “I don’t know where Evan is. I don’t keep tabs on him. Maybe he’s dead.” Jared shrugged.</p><p>They’d decided to not tell Jared’s subscribers about their relationship. Not yet anyway. They were still testing the waters. It had been about a month since their first official date. Which was about two weeks after the initial confessing of feelings. It was Evan’s idea to keep it private (from Jared’s followers at least) but Jared had enthusiastically agreed. Mostly because he didn’t want to deal with the massive amount of ‘I knew it’ comments he was bound to get.</p><p>“Have you seen that new movie about the guy who becomes a robot?” Jared frowned at the chat. “No? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”</p><p>The front door open and Evan walked in.</p><p>“Hey.” Jared nodded.</p><p>“Hello.” Evan leaned down and kissed his cheek before walking into the kitchen.</p><p>Jared’s eyes went wide and he couldn’t suppress his smile. “Um, Evan?”</p><p>“Hmm?” Evan called.</p><p>“I’m streaming right now.”</p><p>Evan’s head snapped up. “Fuck.”</p><p>Jared laughed. “Um, surprise?” He said to the camera.</p><p>The chat was going so fast Jared didn’t even try to keep up with it. Evan came back to the table and pulled a chair up beside Jared. “Hi. I guess it’s not a secret anymore.”</p><p>“Yes, Evan and I are dating. Everyone get your comments out now.”</p><p>Comments whizzed by. Mostly congratulating them. A few asking for the story. Of course, a decent amount saying, “I knew it”. Jared rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Yes. Yes. It’s very exciting that I have a hot boyfriend.” He shoved Evan away from him. “But this stream is about <em>me.</em>”</p><p>“I thought we were getting dinner.” Evan said as he went back to the kitchen to finish putting away the groceries he’d brought in.</p><p>“Oh yeah. Never mind everyone. I have a dinner date.”</p><p>
  <em>I thought you wanted to talk to us :(</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ur gonna ditch us??</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Smh fake </em>
</p><p>
  <em>U’d rather do that than stream? :/</em>
</p><p>“Yes I am absolutely going to ditch all of you to go have dinner with Evan. What kind of question is that?” He held up a peace sign. “Later losers.” He quit the stream and closed his laptop.</p><p>“Sorry I outed us.” Evan said from the kitchen.</p><p>Jared shrugged. “It’s fine. They would’ve found out sooner or later.”</p><p>“I guess.”</p><p>“But just so you know, if we ever break up it’s going to be a nightmare.”</p><p>“I have an idea,” Evan finished putting the food away and motioned toward the front door. “Let’s not break up then.”</p><p>“Hmmm.” Jared pretended to consider this as he pulled his jacket on. “I guess we could do that.”</p><p>Evan rolled his eyes and took Jared’s hand. “Come on. I’m hungry.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you guys for all of the love on this fic! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>